[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21859-21860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08472]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC16-8-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-539); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the 
currently approved information collection, FERC-539 (Gas Pipeline 
Certificates: Import & Export Related Applications).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 13, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC16-8-
000) by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Web site: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance contact FERC Online Support 
by email at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
    Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of 
activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and 
issuances in this docket may do so at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202) 
273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-539, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Import & Export Related 
Applications.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0062.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-539 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) \1\ provides, in 
part, that ``. . . no person shall export any natural gas from the 
United States to a foreign country or import any natural gas from a 
foreign country without first having secured an order from the 
Commission authorizing it to do so.'' The 1992 amendments to section 3 
of the NGA concern importation or exportation from/to a nation which 
has a free trade agreement with the United States and requires that 
such importation or exportation: (1) Shall be deemed to be a ``first 
sale'' (i.e. not a sale for a resale) and (2) shall be deemed to be 
consistent with the public interest. Applications for such importation 
or exportation should be granted without modification or delay.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 717-717w.
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    The regulatory functions of section 3 are shared by the Commission 
and the Secretary of Energy, Department of Energy (DOE). The Commission 
has the authority to approve or disapprove the construction and 
operation of particular facilities, the site at which such

[[Page 21860]]

facilities shall be located, and, with respect to natural gas that 
involves the construction of new domestic facilities, the place of 
entry for imports or exit for exports. DOE approves the importation or 
exportation of the natural gas commodity.\2\ Additionally, pursuant to 
the DOE Delegation Order and Executive Order Nos. 10485 and 12038, the 
Commission has the authority to issue Presidential Permits for natural 
gas facilities which cross an international border of the United 
States. Persons seeking Section 3 authorizations or Presidential 
Permits from the Commission file applications for such requests 
pursuant to part 153 of the Commission's Regulations.\3\
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    \2\ Secretary of DOE's current delegation of authority to the 
Commission relating to import and export facilities was renewed by 
the Secretary's Delegation Order No. 00-004.00A, effective May 16, 
2006.
    \3\ Part 153, subpart B and subpart C.
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    Type of Respondents: The respondents include all jurisdictional 
natural gas companies seeking authorization from the Commission to 
import or export natural gas.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
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    \4\ The Commission defines burden as the total time, effort, or 
financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, 
retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal 
agency. For further explanation of what is included in the 
information collection burden, reference 5 Code of Federal 
Regulations 1320.3.

                                        FERC-539--Gas Pipeline Certificates: Import & Export Related Applications
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                                            Annual  number
                                            of  responses   Total number of    Average burden & cost per    Total annual burden hours &      Cost per
        Number of respondents (1)           per respondent   responses  (1)        response \5\  (4)        total annual cost (3) * (4)  respondent  ($)
                                                 (2)          * (2) = (3)                                              = (5)                 (5) / (1)
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12.......................................               2               24   12 hrs.; $864...............  288 hrs.; $20,736...........          $1,728
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    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Commission, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden and 
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

    Dated: April 7, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-08472 Filed 4-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P